By: Khaled Abu Toameh – The Jerusalem Post

Fatah is planning to mark its 43rd anniversary this year with a new poster that presents all of Israel as Palestine.

A Fatah 43rd anniversary

poster depicts a map of Israel that is entirely draped with a

Palestinian keffiyeh next to a rifle signifying armed struggle.

Designed specifically for the occasion by Abdel Mun’em Ibrahim, the poster features a map of Israel that is entirely draped with a Palestinian keffiyeh scarf.

It also carries a drawing of a rifle as a symbol of the “armed struggle” against Israel.

The poster, which has been endorsed by the Fatah leadership, has already been posted on a number of Fatah-affiliated Web sites.

The underlying message of the poster is that Fatah, like Hamas, does not recognize Israel’s existence.

The emblem is in violation of Fatah’s declared policy, which envisions an independent Palestinian state alongside, and not instead of, Israel.

By including a rifle in the poster, Fatah is sending a message to the Palestinian public that it has not abandoned the option of “armed resistance,” despite current peace talks with Israel.

Founded in 1965, Fatah has celebrated its anniversary over the past 14 years with major rallies in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. But it’s not clear at this stage if Hamas would allow Fatah to hold a big rally in the Gaza Strip.

Last week, Fatah banned Hamas from holding rallies in the West Bank to mark the 20th anniversary of the Islamist movement. Hamas officials have threatened to retaliate by barring Fatah rallies in the Gaza Strip.